Vertigo

Vertigo
Vertigo

Monday, June 24, 2024

A New Beginning in KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

 

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes resets the franchise further on the timeline and opens up new possibilities as the apes continue their dominance over humans. This adventure is also entertaining and an impressive technical achievement.

In the generations after the ape leader Caesar led ape dominance over humans, there are separate ape camps and warring gangs.  When Noa’s village is attacked and his family devastated, he goes on a search for survivors and comes across others including another ape and even a human girl.  The group is confronted by a warrior ape who rules a kingdom of apes, and Noa’s family and humanity are at a crossroads of survival or extinction.

Among the themes are a strong emphasis on family and the importance of tradition and legacy.  It also brings up the choice between good versus evil and apes versus humans.  You don’t have to have seen the previous films to understand the plot though enough of a brief background sufficiently brings the overall narrative to its present. The film has a few subtle references to the original franchise that began with Planet of the Apes (1968).

This installment continues the recent, remarkable state-of-the-art special effects and luscious set designs that are so convincing, that audiences can easily be immersed in the story and appreciate the performances.  It’s a totally engaging film that should satisfy most fans and strongly hints at a future faceoff between apes and humans. With an emotional, touching conclusion that ends one narrative, it opens a myriad of possibilities for the future.  It’s clear this series still has a lot of life, which, if as interesting and technically proficient as this, should result in some intriguing sequels for years to come. 

**** of ***** stars


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